Wall U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,161 discloses a meniscus cartilage replacement for a patient which consists of a woven fiber sheet coated with a resilient material with a lateral extension of the sheet extending outside the joint for anchoring to the side of the tibia with a screw. However, the Wall replacement is thin and flat (two dimensional) and hence is non-anatomical in shape.
The following several patents are several of the references in the aforementioned Wall patent.
Kenny U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,193 discloses a meniscus cartilage replacement of three dimensional shape. However, the Kenny replacement consists simply of a non-reinforced molded silicone rubber member. Although other possible ways are mentioned briefly in passing, the Kenny drawings show sutures and increased thickness ends as ways to hold the replacement in place in the joint, the increased thickness ends being discussed in detail.
Stubstad U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,767 discloses an artificial implant but formed as a wrist replacement.
Homsy U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,971,670 and 4,127,902 are not references in the above Wall patent merely disclose artificial tension members which may be led through holes in bone and stapled for use as replacement tendons and ligaments. No cartilage replacement is shown.
In so far as I am aware a fully satisfactory meniscus cartilage replacement has not been achieved in the prior art.
Accordingly, the objects and purposes of the invention include provision of a soft tissue implant in the form of a meniscus cartilage replacement for a patient, which combines an anatomical shape with woven and felted fiber interior reinforcement for strength and durability, in which coated top and bottom surfaces are capable of sliding with respect to adjacent tissues of the patient in a manner to simulate a natural meniscus cartilage, in which a convex, exterior edge is capable of receiving natural fibrous tissue ingrowth of the patient to, in time, naturally anchor the implant in the joint of the patient and in which, optionally, the implant can be positively anchored to adjacent bone while awaiting such natural fibrous tissue ingrowth.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatuses of the general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.